Last Updated on July 15, 2021 by Emily Stevens
Table of Contents
Natural Latex Mattresses
Latex like memory foam and innerspring have been around for decades and have become a staple mattress material that provides a comfort level somewhere between the two previous types. It’s known for its comfortable texture that promotes pressure relief.
What are the benefits of a latex mattress?
Latex is also a surprisingly organic material made from the milked sap of rubber trees. Latex mattresses are often built as layers with varying degrees of firmness. Many latex mattress brands feature different degrees of hardness, bounce, and temperature regulation.
How Long Does Latex Last?
Most latex mattresses come with a 20-year warranty because latex lasts a long time. Our best latex mattresses are by PlushBeds, Eco-Terra, and Latex For Less. We consider a latex mattress as one of the best mattresses for both stomach sleepers and side sleepers. Latex for Less is a great affordable latex mattress in a box.
Zenhaven Latex Mattress by Saatva
Zenhaven
- Zenhaven is the latex mattress brand of Saatva. Their 100% pure Talalay Latex “5 Zone” Comfort Layer provides unique support where it matters most.
- This is topped by a layer of breathable wool and covered with organic cotton.
- Unique design, reasonable prices, and white glove delivery.
Saatva Latex Hybrid Mattress
Latex & Coil Hybrid (New)
Made With Natural Talalay Latex
Saatva’s all-natural mattress combines the buoyant, pressure-free support of natural latex with the responsive innerspring feel sleepers love. Its medium firmness supports most sleepers, whether you’re a back sleeper, side sleeper, or a combination of both. It’s handcrafted using natural, non-toxic materials for the most blissful sleep of your life.
Cool Comfort & Uplifting Support
Responsive, ultra-breathable natural latex offers excellent pressure-point relief as it keeps you cooler through the night.
Saatva’s organic mattress uses 100% natural Talalay latex for the most resilient, consistent, and durable support. Sustainably sourced latex is naturally hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, resists dust mites, mold, and mildew, and certified to be free of harmful chemicals.
Visit The Saatva Latex Hybrid Mattress
PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex
Eco-Terra Latex Mattress
Read Review
Latex For Less
The Latex for Fewer mattresses is made with the most excellent quality 100% natural latex, organic cotton, and pure natural wool. The Latex For Less mattress is reversible and has two firmness levels. There’s medium support on one side and firm support on the other for the perfect amount of comfort and support. Try each firmness level and choose the one you want.
Queen Size Mattress – $999.
King Size Mattress – $1399.
Memory Foam vs Latex: Which Are The Differences?
When selecting a new mattress, two of the most popular choices are latex and memory foam mattresses. Both these types of mattresses are made from layered foam that adjust to your body.
However, there are distinct advantages and disadvantages of each one compared to the other. For instance, memory foam is less expensive but retains more body heat, whereas latex has greater durability but is heavy.
This article aims to give you an understanding of the pros and cons of latex and memory foam mattresses. Being fully equipped with this information will help you buy the best mattress to suit you.
Understanding Memory Foam
Memory foam was developed by Charles Yost, an aeronautical engineer contracted to provide crash protection products for aircraft seats. Memory foam is made by adding chemicals to polyurethane foam. These additives give the foam its responsiveness, and its viscoelasticity responds to your body weight. When pressure is removed from the foam, it returns to its original shape.
Memory foam mattresses were introduced in the 1990s and became popular through the bed in a box concept. Compressing the mattress and putting it in a box meant that it could be delivered efficiently, so selling mattresses online became more feasible.
Memory foam mattresses are highly breathable thanks to their open-cell structure. During manufacturing, the foam can be infused with conductive agents such as cooling gel to give the mattress good heat-wicking qualities.
Understanding Latex
Latex is a little more challenging to define than memory foam in as much as there are three different categories of latex: natural, synthetic, and blended.
- Natural Latex. Natural latex foam is produced using sap from Rubber trees. The sap is altered using either the Dunlop or Talalay processes to create latex. Dunlop processed latex is the denser and firmer of the two, making it less responsive than Talalay latex.
- Synthetic Latex. Synthetic latex is derived from petrochemicals that mimic the feel of natural latex. Synthetic latex is cheaper to produce than natural latex, but it is less durable.
- Blended Latex. Blended latex combines the qualities of natural and synthetic latex, resulting in a durable and affordable product.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Latex and Memory Foam
There is no single mattress type that you can consider as ‘best.’ Your right choice of mattress will depend on a range of factors, including your sleeping position, your budget, any allergies you have, and other personal preferences. When choosing your ideal mattress, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each material.
Advantages of Memory Foam Mattresses
- Pressure Relief. Memory foam’s responsiveness allows it to mold to your body’s shape. This material quality eliminates pressure points and conforms to your body rather than pressing against it. The result is a mattress that helps alleviate pain.
- Motion Isolation. One of the qualities that came from developing memory foam as a crash defense is its motion isolation. If you are a restless sleeper, a memory foam mattress may allow you to enjoy a decent night’s sleep.
- Hypoallergenic Qualities. The density of memory foam gives it a natural resistance to allergens such as dust mites. If you are allergic to wool or other natural materials, you might be suited to a memory foam mattress.
- Affordability. One of the most appealing qualities of memory foam mattresses is their affordability. For as little as $1,000, you can get hold of a decent quality memory foam mattress.
Advantages of Memory Foam Mattresses
- Heat Retention. Memory foam’s density might give it protection from allergens, but it also makes it difficult to disperse body heat. This disadvantage is often mitigated by adding cutouts and air channels to the mattresses or infusing them with conductive gels.
- Off-Gassing. When they are first opened, memory foam mattresses often give off an unpleasant smell. This odor is caused by VOCs breaking down as they reach room temperature. The process is called “off-gassing,” and it usually disappears within one week. Mattresses with a CertiPUR-US® certification contain lower VOCs levels, so they will not smell as strong.
- Low Edge Support. Memory foam mattresses are designed to respond to your body weight, and this includes the edges. Some memory foam mattresses provide limited edge support by being wrapped with stiffer foam.
- Varying Responsiveness. The responsiveness of memory foam will vary between different mattresses. A mattress made from a lower quality foam may take around a minute to return to its original shape. A higher-quality foam will regain its shape within seconds.
Advantages of Latex Mattresses
- Springiness. Latex has more springy qualities than memory foam, which leaves you feeling like being on top of the mattress.
- Durability. A latex mattress’s average lifespan is around six to fifteen years, with natural latex providing greater longevity. This lifespan compares to an average of seven years for a memory foam mattress.
- Adjustable. Latex mattresses can be fitted with a zipper along the side that allows you to clean or adjust the inside.
- Organic. Latex is an organic substance made without chemicals and with minimal environmental impact. To maintain these organic qualities in the mattress, manufacturers tend to use other natural products such as wool or cotton along with latex.
- Cooling Effect. Latex has natural cooling qualities, and this is often heightened by manufacturers aerating the foam to increase breathability.
Disadvantages of Latex Mattresses
- Overly Bouncy. We mentioned springiness being one of the advantages of a latex mattress. However, this aspect may not appeal to you as you may find them to be too bouncy.
- Initial Rubbery Smell. Latex is made from natural rubber, so it can have a strong rubber smell initially.
- Heavyweight. Latex is a dense and heavy material, which can make it awkward to move. An average Queen-size latex mattress weighs around 140 pounds.
- Lack of Availability. Not many stores hold stock of latex mattresses. Online shops are the best place to buy them, but their weight often means hefty delivery costs.
- Price. With an average Queen-size latex mattress costing around $2000, these are some of the most expensive mattresses on the market.
How to Decide On The Right Mattress
Choosing the right mattress often comes down to fulfilling or compromising on a few of your requirements, such as the following:
- Budget. If you have some budgetary restrictions, we recommend choosing a memory foam mattress or one made from synthetic latex.
- Environment. Increasingly, a product’s environmental impact is influencing buying decisions. A natural latex mattress is your best option if this applies to you because blended latex, synthetic latex, and memory foam all use petrochemicals during the manufacturing process.
- Softness. If having a soft mattress is one of your requirements, you should choose memory foam. Latex mattresses are denser, so they generally tend to be harder.
- Durability. Natural latex mattresses are more durable, so they will be less prone to sagging. A good quality latex mattress could last you around fifteen years.
- Sink-Into or On-Top. If you enjoy sinking into your mattress, choose one made of memory foam. If lying on-top is your preferred sleeping position, go for a latex mattress.
Other Mattress Types
Of course, memory foam and latex are not the only types of mattresses. If neither of these is to your liking, you could try one of the following:
- Innerspring Mattress. This type of mattress is made with several sprung coils as support, covered with a padded layer of cotton, wool, or polyester. These mattresses have excellent cooling properties as sir can circulate freely around the coils.
- Hybrid Mattress. These are a combination of foam and innerspring mattresses. They allow air to circulate between the coils, and a 2-3 inch layer of foam or latex gives bounce and contouring.
Conclusion
Making the right choice of mattress is critical, considering the amount of time we spend in bed. Hopefully, this article will help you choose between the equally popular memory foam and latex mattresses.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Emily lives in North Texas.
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